Donald Haapakoski was named by selectmen as their choice to fill the police chief position that was left vacant in September after the board declined to re-appoint former chief Joseph R. Baril Jr.

Haapakoski, 54, has been police chief in Oakham for eight years. Prior to that he was chief in Holland and Ayer and worked on the campus police force for two years at Assumption College in Worcester. He is a resident of Oakham.

Selectmen voted to make the offer to Haapakoski pending a State Police background check and contract negotiations. Past police chiefs have been appointed by selectmen, usually in three year terms, but the board decided earlier this summer to move to a contract offer.

The board’s vote for Haapakoski was unanimous, although they were also impressed with Sergeant John M. Agnew, a long-time member of the Spencer police department.

"I don’t know that we can go wrong with either one of these candidates. That’s a good position to be in," selectman Joseph Becker said during the discussion.

The board agreed that Haapakoski’s past experience as chief in several towns tipped the scales in his favor.

In addition to his management experience, Haapakoski already has knowledge of the department and its personnel because Oakham is a member of the town’s shared dispatch service, select chair Sheila Dibb said.